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Last Updated: Monday, 1 March, 2004, 16:46 GMT
What impact will Ralph Nader have?
Ralph Nader

The consumer activist Ralph Nader has announced that he will stand as an independent candidate in this year's Presidential election.

Many Democrats blame him for splitting the liberal vote four years ago - and handing victory to George Bush.

Last week Senator John Kerry won the latest primary in Wisconsin in the battle to become the Democratic Party's presidential candidate.

His victory in means that he's now won 15 of the 17 contests held so far, beating Senator John Edwards to second.

What impact will Ralph Nader have? What is your view of the Democratic candidates' campaigns? Do you think Mr Kerry is unstoppable? Send us your comments.

This debate has now been closed. Read a selection of your comments below.


The following comments reflect the balance of opinion we have received so far:

His candidacy is destructive to the cause he supposedly supports
Ava F, Seattle USA

There is no way that Nader could run against Bush in good conscience considering that the votes he got last election gave the presidency to Bush. This is clearly a last ditch effort by the Republicans because Bush is in trouble. Whether Nader is a closet Republican, or whoever talked him into running is, his candidacy is destructive to the cause he supposedly supports.
Ava F, Seattle USA

I will vote for the issues and not the party. And so Nader will get my vote. For too long each party will change their platform to get the most votes. This means that the parties have no true direction and are reactive instead of active. Leaders lead, not follow.
Michael, Jacksonville, Fl, USA

Nader has always been one of my heroes but not anymore. He lost the election for the Democrats last time, and he has to know it will happen this time if people vote for him. He cannot get enough electoral votes to win.
Katrina C, USA

What does it say about the Democratic Party when one man can single handidly bring them down? Ralph Nader will not cause you to lose the election, nominating John Kerry will!
Michael, Jacksonville, FL

Nader cannot win because he would have to get the electoral votes and he cannot
M. Blue, Olympia USA

Nader cannot win because he would have to get the electoral votes and he cannot, even if he won the popular vote. We must not split the Democratic vote again and give us another 4 years of Bush's regime.
M. Blue, Olympia USA

I was hoping Nader would come in to shake things up, press the other candidates on issues. After watching him spew forth out of context rhetoric last night, I can only be disheartened that he won't be doing any credible pressing so long as he has to use spin tactics to make a point.
Joshua Splinter, USA

No, Ralph Nader will not have an impact on the 2004 US elections. Those who voted for him (like me) in the 2000 election just can't take him seriously this election. He is just an old bachelor who wants attention.
Bill Middendorf, Albuquerque, NM USA

If the whole world voted in this presidential election (as it should do because it affects us all), Kerry would win by millions of light years. Lets all hope and pray the American electorate produces the same result.
Andy, Coventry England

My first reaction to Nader entering the race was "here we go again." Nader does have things to say and I support his stronger positions on issues like health care, but the reality is that he will just take votes from the Democrats and increase the inevitability of another 4 years of Bush. I hope his supporters wake up to this before it is too late. I intend to vote for John Kerry who, regardless of some past shifts in policy which I believe is a strength and not a weakness, is a very intelligent, thinking man with a sound record of service to his country.
John, NJ, USA

Could he possibly be a closet Republican?
Hiroshi Arashi, Gold Run, USA

I agree with much of what Mr. Nader stands for, but I'm saddened to see him "willing" to be a spoiler again. Could he possibly be a closet Republican backed by the Bush/Cheney regime?
Hiroshi Arashi, Gold Run, USA

I will vote for Nader. If for any reason, simply to protest against the two-party system, which has the democracy, we so highly regard in a stranglehold. Kerry and Bush are two faces of the same coin. At least Nader (like Kucinich and Dean) stands up for what he believes. That is the kind of president that the US needs to move forward instead of backward.
Neil, Switzerland

After the 2000 election fiasco, I hope my fellow Americans will start voting with their heads and not their hearts. Nader's candidacy is a step in the wrong direction. I can't imagine Nader winning even a small fraction of the support he had in 2000. He's a nuisance and he should not run.
John, Amherst, Mass

I am not a Nader supporter, but I fully support any person that has the desire to run in any election
John, Texas, US

I am not a Nader supporter, but I fully support any person that has the desire to run in any election. This is America... right?. Where does it say in our constitution that only Democrats and Republicans can aspire to the highest office in the land. I for one would like to see an independent win some day and let the old politicians know that they don't just win by default.
John, Texas, US

I'm definitely on the Any One But Bush wagon, but I find that key issues that are important to me are not held in the same light as the current Democratic front runners. They both seem like tamed down republicans to me. Sadly, in the end I'll vote for whoever looks like they can beat Bush. Which is a sad state of affairs for US politics.
Chris Jarrett, Columbus, OH

Kerry shifts and hides his views and does the politician dance when he is asked a question. I don't want a guy in the White House that says he is deeply opposed to the patriot act but votes for it. Or a guy that says he is against the Iraqi war but votes for it BUT then doesn't vote for the arms to fight it.
Jack, USA

Ralph Who?
Raluca, Brit in the States

This will be a serious impact to the Democrats
Mike Daly, Hackettstown, NJ, USA

This will be a serious impact to the Democrats. The left wing that Kerry will try and court, will be heading to the Nader camp. What will be interesting is to see if John Kerry slowly moves more to the centre, to get the Southern Democrat vote, which usually votes conservative.
Mike Daly, Hackettstown, NJ, USA

As a retired educator and former Nader supporter, I now find Nader so self-righteous in thinking he has more to offer than the remaining Democrats!! His impact will be zero on this election!
Paulette L, Madison, Wi, USA

Nader will act as spoiler and his running guarantees a Bush win in the next election. This is a major blow for the Democrats and this writer is not alone in wishing he would come to his senses, realize that he can not win (because the electoral college, not the American public elects the president) and do the right thing by staying out of it. Environmentalists should support the Democrats, not a fringe guy bearing only consumer advocate experience.
Lin, USA

The Kerry campaign was dealt a tough blow by the announcement that Ralph Nader has entered the race
Mark, USA

The Kerry campaign was dealt a tough blow by the announcement that Ralph Nader has entered the race. Had it not been for Nader in 2000, it is likely Al Gore would have won Florida, possibly New Hampshire, and several other closely contested states and been elected president, instead of George Bush.
Mark, USA

It appears that Ralph Nader is again a spoiler for a Democratic victory. Barring him from the debates four years ago is reason enough for him to steal the presidency right out from under them just the way he did in the 2000 election.
Mark, USA

Kerry is another "I smoked but I didn't inhale". He went to Vietnam in 1966 when it was popular to do so. He served in the Navy on river boats, which was the safest duty there was and he always took the lead boat which was the safest boat in line. He got out of the navy a year early and threw someone else's medals over the White House fence when it was popular to protest the war. I'm a regestered Democrat and I will vote for Edwards for the nomination and for Bush if Kerry beats Edwards.
William L, Donlon, Rochester New York U.S.A.

If Kerry is elected President, we can kiss the independence of the USA goodbye. We will become nothing more than another SOCIALIST STATE IN DECLINE. Take a look at any socialist state in Europe. That will be the future of the USA under Kerry. As for the Global War on Terrorism, that will be nothing more than a joke.
M, Chicago, USA

I think our media is running this election
Valerie Cortazzo, Pittsburgh United States

I think our media is running this election. They are giving Mr. Kerry, then Mr. Edwards all the attention and people are voting for the ones they are hearing about. I am for Dennis Kucinich. That is evident in that most people don't even know who Dennis Kucinich is since the media refused to do more than a mention of his name if he gets some votes in the polls. He got 8% in one of the primaries and barely got mentioned.
Valerie Cortazzo, Pittsburgh United States

While I am uncomfortable about all the candidates in the running I will go for Kerry for president and Edwards as the VP. However, I am worried that both of them sound protectionist - wrong thing for a world where we are seeing tectonic shifts toward Asia as a growing power and a global economy that is still in the doldrums.
Rajeev Dutt, Bristol, UK

I don't understand why so many people think Kerry is better able to beat Bush. I like Edwards, his positive campaign and his ability to his ability to reach even Independents and Republicans. That would put him in a better position to defeat Bush. To me an Edwards-Kerry partnership is better than a Kerry-Edwards one.
John Crowley, Hartford, CT, USA

Kerry, Edwards or Dean, any of these certainly looks a bit more clever than the cowboy the US had for a president now!
Pedro, Lisbon, Portugal

Several months ago it was Dean, now Kerry, tomorrow Edwards
Joe Corsi, Seattle, USA

No. Several months ago it was Dean, now Kerry, tomorrow Edwards. That's the way politics are in the United States. One minute you're on top, the next your gone. I like Edwards and think he has a better chance at the 'White House' than Kerry. Kerry is an insider and liberal. In the end that will hurt him. Edwards is not an insider and leans closer to the middle. He's also young. I like his message and I'm a republican.
Joe Corsi, Seattle, USA

I think its time to move on past Election 2000 and claims that Bush "stole the election." As I recall, they did actually reveal the results of the recount in 2002 and it found that Bush would have won anyway....even if the recount was allowed.
Jeff, Cincinnati, USA

I'm sure Kerry will win the primaries. It is depressing to see how the media has pushed him to the forefront. He is just another mainstream politician who plays the game. Can he beat GWB? I'm not sure, but I am absolutely terrified that he might not. I don't know where these people are coming from who say the world needs Bush. Haven't they seen what he has done already. I'm scared... very scared.
Rebecca , State College, USA

Only the Bush administration has the intestinal fortitude to protect baseball and apple-pie
Rob Crocker, Boston, US

The BBC loves to post anti-Bush comments, especially from viewers outside the US. Only the Bush administration has the intestinal fortitude to protect baseball and apple-pie all the while beating up the bad guys, cheers.
Rob Crocker, Boston, US

Kerry has the personality and presence which Bush doesn't have. He will get home.
Jagdish Devgan, Bangalore, India

Kerry may win, although Edwards still has a real chance. The longer the primary goes on, the harder it'll be for the Republicans to find out who'll they be fighting in November. It looks like all the rust-belt states (including Ohio, which last time went Republican) will vote Democrat no matter what, because the Bush administration has been unable to stop the loss of manufacturing jobs. If everything else stays the same as 2000 (and I've seen nothing to indicate that NY will turn Rep. or Texas Dem.) the Dems will win. One problem with Kerry: he's as self-righteous as Bush.
Jochem Riesthuis, Chicago, Il

I'm for Kucinich, but he's not what this election is all about
Kathy Butler, Kingston, USA

No one will catch Kerry because Democrats have tacitly agreed that he's the one who can beat Bush. I'm for Kucinich, but he's not what this election is all about: too bad.
Kathy Butler, Kingston, USA

What is unstoppable now is the American Public's determination to toss out this "rogue dictatorship" of George Bush; Kerry has been seen as the most reliable instrument for that purpose. Ironically, we all have Howard Dean to thank for putting programmatic politicians like Kerry back on the right ideological track.
Rich, Connecticut USA

I think Mr Kerry will win. Anybody would be better than G.W.Bush. I wish him good luck.
Haestie Nicole, France

I wouldn't support anyone who supports abortion and gay rights. At least Bush has standards there.
Rowland, Denmark

I had hoped for Edwards, but Kerry will do
Susan, Copenhagen, Denmark

I had hoped for Edwards, but Kerry will do. Since the US has such influence on the world, could American voters please give careful consideration to whom they inflict on the rest of us (unlike in 2000)! - Democrats! - Get off your couches, Rock the Vote and take back the White House!
Susan, Copenhagen, Denmark

And how about a Kerry + Edwards ticket in November? That would help the Democratic Party pull in the slightly right of centre GOP votes from disaffected and erstwhile Bush supporters.
Stephen J. Spencer, New York, USA

The character assassination against Dean perpetrated by the media and his opponents is most unfortunate, seeing as how he had the most relevant stances on the issues and largest grassroots support to defeat Bush in 2004. It seems both Kerry and Bush are candidates of fear -Bush warning that we could be attacked at any second, and Kerry scaring Democrats into believing that a real candidate like Dean will cost them the election. Real Democrats stand for something, and other than the unelectable Kucinich, Dean is the only principled leader in this race.
Omar Yacoubi, Richmond, Virginia, USA

I have been trying to figure out what the "liberal media" is my entire life
Daniel Mair, Seattle, WA

This is probably one of the most important elections in American history. And look at the options. Sad. It would be pathetic if the potential consequences of "four more years" of Bush were not so grim. I hope this is not the twilight of the Republic. P.S. I have been trying to figure out what the "liberal media" is my entire life, but I still don't get it; could someone on Fox News please explain it to me ONE MORE TIME?
Daniel Mair, Seattle, WA

I wish you'd stop calling him JFK II; Kerry is no JFK. He does not inspire people to a higher ideal, but in fact represents everything that is wrong with the Democratic party. He is Bush lite - and nothing more.
Zeigfried, Washington D.C. USA

I think he is unstoppable and anything is better than Bush.
Fred Dexter, Knoxville, IL

It wasn't a fair election last time
Damien Waites, London, UK

It wasn't a fair election last time, does it matter if Kerry is more popular or should we be more concerned with the Bush administration's ability to manipulate the results again this time?
Damien Waites, London, UK

Never have I been more interested in the US elections as now, Bush (father of all screw ups) has to go & Kerry seems like the most likely candidate.
Farah, Singapore

Kerry is a less polished version of Bill Clinton. He has a flip flop quality. However, his record as Senator is there for all to see. He has voted against virtually every defence system used in the past Gulf Wars. In this war against terror, he is a manifest joke and a danger to the well-being of the U.S.
Charles, Eugene, OR. USA

Super Tuesday will tell the story
Richard Shepard, Saint Stephens Church, VA. US

Super Tuesday will tell the story. As for me, I would vote for my dog before the Bush/Cheney/Ashcroft and their conservative agenda that the majority of the country never voted for.
Richard Shepard, Saint Stephens Church, VA. US

Kerry is unstoppable. I am not a huge fan of the man but anybody is better then Bush...anybody.
Dane Whittler, Chicago, USA

There are still a lot more primaries
Carmel Pope, Seattle U.S.A

John Edwards could win if the voters would stop voting for Kerry because he is the front runner. There are still a lot more primaries. Look how popular Dean was and now he will soon be out of the race.
Carmel Pope, Seattle U.S.A.

Kerry looks like the only candidate capable of beating Bush because of the cost involved. However it would be better to elect a cloned mule rather than suffer another 4 years Bush and his cronies!
Lawrence Taylor, Osaka ,Japan

It doesn't matter who is President. The flag follows trade. Economics will ensure US imperialism continues. It is just a question of how crudely.
Tom Paine, Mauritius

I wish Malcolm X were running for president.
Sanan Phutrakul, Miami, Florida USA

Kerry seems unstoppable now
Gary, Japan

Kerry seems unstoppable now. November will be a different story: it depends on whether Bush can hide his record - intelligence failures and long holidays before 9/11; failure to dent al Qaeda; invading a country for WMD that didn't exist; and a failing economy.
Gary, Japan

Probably not. After about the fifth 'recount', when people are really bored with it, Bush will probably spin it so Kerry looks silly or something and a few extra marginal votes will secure Bush's place. Wonder if he will use torture this time round!!!
Max Richards, England

That Yankee should stay home.
Don Boone, Ahoskie, N Carolina

If Kerry wins the nomination, he has my vote
M. Blue, USA

I would prefer Dean. I only have one vote. All of the Democratic candidates are viable, and most of all, can be trusted with the little red button. Bush can't. If Kerry wins the nomination, he has my vote. After all, he has been under enemy fire. Bush has not.
M. Blue., USA

The Democrats go looking for a winner and they find a Liberal Senator from Massachusetts??? Bush is in for four more GREAT years.
Andrew Walden, Hilo, Hawaii, USA

Kerry is the luckiest candidate to campaign on the premise of the enemy's weaknesses. If Bush bounces back..., well I hope not.
Masaru, Tokyo, Japan

Is Kerry unstoppable? Yes, and he will be stopped in November when America re-elects George W. Bush. Kerry has flipped and flopped over the years and his liberal New England views don't sit well with the rest of America!
Nick, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

Fear has become the main cultural trait of our country
Leah , Brunswick, ME

I am Dean Supporter. People are voting for Kerry either because they are old style Democrats which really means Republicrat or because they think he is most likely to beat Bush - or both. I believe people are voting out of fear. Fear has become the main cultural trait of our country. The only way we can break the cycle is for people to vote with their hearts not for who they think is the lesser of two evils!
Leah , Brunswick, ME

Kerry's done nothing for Massachusetts and will do nothing for this country, except raise taxes and then raise them some more, while no doubt continuing to sway in the wind in an attempt to satisfy polls and public opinion. His voting record is far too wishy-washy. We need a firm, committed leader in these perilous times who has the strength to follow his convictions. That leader is, and will remain, President Bush.
Danelle, Boston, MA

Oops I almost forgot that Bush didn't actually receive a majority of votes in the first place
Jeremy, Singapore

As an outsider, I am praying that the World doesn't have to suffer another four years of the present administration's foreign "policy". I hope that the majority of American voters will see the light and vote for a change this time. Oops I almost forgot that Bush didn't actually receive a majority of votes in the first place.
Jeremy, Singapore

Kerry was easily created by the media and will be as easily buried by the media. He is a paper champion. He has no chance against Bush. Only Dean is the real deal.
Alex, Dallas, TX, USA

Kerry will win the Democratic nomination and then the gluttonous Bush campaign machine will start spending its money. Hopefully, Kerry can withstand and prevail. It didn't appear he could until recently.
Doug, Colorado, USA

Kerry looks like he will win the nomination, unfortunately
Jessi, USA

Kerry looks like he will win the nomination, unfortunately. Edwards was the only Dem I would have voted for ... now it looks my vote will go to Bush.
Jessi, USA

President Bush will win in November! Don't believe everything you read in the liberal media. Most Americans trust him.
Sally, USA

It's time for a revolution, let's get out of the Bushes, and be merry, go Kerry!
Tony Nuccio, CA, United States

Never before in history so many people, both inside and outside the USA, are eagerly waiting for a US President, George W Bush, to leave the White House. Time for Mr Bush to return to Crawford and start that BBQ.
Sanju, Leuven, Belgium

The race is not over yet
Michael, Wisconsin, USA
Remember Howard Dean is still second in the delegate count. The race is not over yet. Of all the candidates, only Dean can beat Bush because only Dean has a record of opposing Bush to stand on.
Michael, Wisconsin, USA

Kerry will win the Democratic nomination, but I'm not so sure about the White House. The herd mentality has taken over, as has become the norm in this country. I would consider voting for Clark or Dean in a national election because I respect them and believe they would make significant changes.
Dan Geislinger, Minneapolis, USA

John Kerry will win and it is futile exercise for other candidates to spend their money on fighting each other rather than George Bush.
Rakesh Sharma, New York, USA

Kerry is as fake as it comes...
William Holl, NYC, USA

I do think that Kerry needs a southerner to win, much as Kennedy did in '60. Though it seems painfully obvious to me, many of my fellow Americans, and probably a good part of the world that Bush needs to be outed, I'm afraid that my country will be blinded by patriotic zealotry and ethnocentrism, of which Bush is a paradigm.
Marissa, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

Kerry is the frontrunner and may actually win the Democratic nomination. He is married to a $700 million woman and thinks he can represent the common man? John Edwards has $70 million, he will represent the common man? These people are afraid to fight for US. Let us keep USA secure by keeping Bush.
Minesh, US

John Kerry will win the nomination sadly since he is a political hack. Kerry hasn't had an original idea in years. President Bush will again rise to the occasion and surprise the pundents with a big win. Thank GOD.
Glenn Simmons, Jacksonville USA

Kerry is too liberal to be elected
Michael, Florida

Kerry is simply NOT a president. Any man who has to tear down another man to validate himself as a leader...is NOT a leader.
Frank, NJ

It is way too early to tell who is going to win this fall. But for America's sake, and for the rest of the world, we need Bush to be re-elected.
Ike, Chicago, Illinois

Hopefully Kerry and Edwards will team up on a ticket - while I personally will vote for whomever the Democrats put on the ballot, and I urge any American to do the same, I'd be more confident that Kerry could win the South over if he had a southerner by his side.
Kelly, Amherst, MA, USA

Kerry is highly vulnerable to a simple review of his statements and voting record. Although he was a good soldier in Vietnam, in my view, he has been a two-faced politician interested only in increasing his power since then. He is the classic elitist democrat.
Gary Alles, Albuquerque, NM, USA

Bush is losing ground fast, and many voters may actually identify with Kerry - who has said that he voted for the war in Iraq based on false intelligence - since these voters, too, feel misled and betrayed by the administration. I know where my vote (and those of a huge number of other first-time voters) will go! 2004 - anyone but Bush.
Arielle, Boston, MA, USA

Kerry is both too liberal to be elected and too wishy-washy to be elected President. I think the Republicans haven't chosen which angle they'll hit from. But the real mistake is that Democrats need to choose the most qualified man rather than second-guessing what the Republicans would do. I'll vote for Dean.
Bena Currin, Oakland, CA, US

The Democratic nomination is Kerry's race to win or lose
Will Tinder, Ames, Iowa, United States

At this point, it is becoming increasingly obvious that the race for the Democratic nomination is Kerry's race to win or lose. Should Dean fall in Wisconsin in the coming weeks, his campaign will be at an end, and it is likely the campaigns of Edwards and Clark won't last much longer after that. This is John Kerry's race, and the fate of the Democratic Party, I feel, rests on his shoulders.
Will Tinder, Ames, Iowa, United States

If a monkey were running for president I would give it my vote - just to help getting this incompetent fool out of the Whitehouse.
D. Newmark, St.Louis, US

Kerry is too liberal to be elected. He is tied with Bush in the polls right now because he is getting so much exposure in the media. When the Bush machine starts campaigning and America sees the record Kerry has established over the last 30 years Bush will be the clear favourite and will win. Kerry has so many holes in his stories that once they are exposed it should be a cakewalk for Bush. Kerry has switched sides on issues so many times it is evident he goes with what is popular at the time or by what Ted Kennedy tells him to do. Wait and see, once the campaigning starts by Bush, John Kerry is toast!
Michael, Florida

Be patient! In January 2009 George W. Bush will definitely leave the White House and frustrated and helpless liberal left will have to watch in despair how his brother Jebb moves in to the building at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Merlin, Santa Rosa, CA, USA

America is ready for a change
Stanford Morgan IV, Houston, USA
America is ready for a change. This George W. Bush will never be re-elected. Too many things have gone wrong with George at the Steering wheel. The question that history books will not ask is 'why'? It is all too clear.
Stanford Morgan IV, Houston, USA

It doesn't really matter who wins the nomination. Bush will be re-elected because this is not a good time to change leaders. I fear what any Democrat elected would do to our country and our national security. It was the previous administration's 'budget balancing' that created the lack of intelligence which caused 9/11. Putting another Democrat in the White House could set us up for more of the same.
Kyle, Monticello, USA

While Kerry drones on in his nauseating monotone, sucking up the airtime, and Bush continues to 'spin', a warm and exciting breeze has started to gain momentum in the south. Hurricane Edwards is beginning to churn the waters of democracy. Time for a cool change from elite to everyman.
Independent thinker, USA

I know that if my neighbours look at the facts, wins in the South are not out of Senator Kerry's reach
Liz Branyan, Johnson City

Thanks for an article that does a good job of summing up how the majority of Democrats feel. I don't know if Senator Kerry will win in my home state, Tennessee, but I know Democrats can win here. Two years ago we elected a Democrat as governor. Our veterans no doubt appreciate an American who served on the front lines with them in Vietnam rather than hiding in the National Guard or taking up a rear position as his birth rank in privilege would have allowed him to do. We believe in Senator Kerry and while I can't promise anything, I know that if my neighbours look at the facts, wins in the South are not out of Senator Kerry's reach.
Liz Branyan, Johnson City, TN

I wouldn't call Kerry unstoppable. All it takes is one good foot in the mouth by Kerry - and Edwards or Clark could seriously contend for the Democratic nomination. Remember this is America, where the underdog always has a chance. Ultimately, it doesn't matter whether the Democratic nominee is Kerry, Edwards or Clark.
Leon, Illinois, USA

The Race changes tomorrow when the Maine Caucus throws its support behind Howard Dean! Back to the old phrase when Maine had the first primary - "As Maine goes, so goes the Nation."
James Smith, Fort Fairfield, Maine, USA

John Kerry is the man to defeat George Bush. He is a well seasoned leader with a good balance of academic/diplomatic savvy and a man who experienced the world from the coal face along side the real men. His opinions would carry a good measure of credibility. In my view, Bush is an embarrassment to the American people and a threat to world peace.
Gregory De Maine, Brisbane, Australia

It's no good pinning hopes that Kerry will defeat Bush. It won't happen and those who think it will do not understand the American voter. When all is said and done, Americans care most about the security of their country and then the economy. Being able to protect and feed their families is what it is all about. As one of those voters, I will vote for Bush.
JMK, USA

I am a bit surprised that John Kerry is seen as the man to beat George Bush. He strikes me as reminiscent of Bob Dole in 1996 - a distinguished veteran, an experienced politician and a clearly decent man - but not a winner. I am an outsider and might well be wrong - in many ways I hope so. But doesn't John Edwards just strike you as having more "star-quality"?
James, London, UK

Only in the US can the nation's highest office be occupied by a 'come-from-nowhere' candidate. 95% of the population had never heard of Kerry until the latest campaign. Strange. We are not electing a proven leader or diplomat but simply an image of one created by the media and vested interests. You can tell this by the way recent presidents and hopefuls beam at everyone and everything with that ridiculous Hollywood grin. Lincoln, FDR, Truman and Ike never bared their dentures. And they were the best of the bunch.
Roger Sayer, Seattle WA. USA

None of the other Democrat hopefuls will catch John Kerry now
John, Cleveland, Ohio USA
None of the other Democrat hopefuls will catch John Kerry now. Even though Howard Dean is a surprisingly close second in terms of the number of delegates pledged, he has already said it would be unwise for Mr. Kerry to select him as a running mate when John Edwards, a southerner -- and a popular one at that -- is also in the hunt. Kerry and Edwards or whoever his eventual running mate is will give George Bush a good run for the money and could carry the day.
John, Cleveland, Ohio USA

When it comes right down to it; it's the way a candidate makes you feel that decides it for a voter. Kerry makes me feel as if his is the best combination of solutions for America at this time in "her" existence. Kerry is unstoppable - all the way to the White House.
Gil Benevides, Hawaii, USA






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